Tinker's War (The Tinkerer's Daughter Book 2)

by Sedgwick, Jamie

  As we watched, another great-wheeled dragon ship appeared in the hills to the north. Smaller flying vehicles buzzed in the air around it, humming like tiny insects in the distance. I had seen one before at a great distance. Now, I got to see them up close, and I was baffled. These vehicles -which I would later learn were called gyroplanes- were not held buoyant by balloons, nor were they powered by springs like our aircraft. Instead, the same black oil-burning engines powered these smaller aircraft. Not only did they leave a thick trail of smoke in the air everywhere they went, they were also noisy: from a distance, they sounded like a swamp full of mosquitoes.

  Propellers of some sort held the vehicles aloft, but the props were large, and they rotated overhead rather than at the front of the fuselage. I thought I understood the basic mechanical principle but I had many questions, and I determined that soon I was going to get a look at one up close.

  As the machines closed in on the city, I realized that each tiny vehicle was just large enough for one Vangar pilot. I wondered if that was due to the limitations of their engines, or simply because the Vangars were so large that it wasn’t practical to make gyroplanes suitable for passengers. I watched them for some time, analyzing the unusual machines. From what I could tell, they were not only noisy and polluting, they were also cumbersome. The tiny aircraft did not move very quickly and didn’t respond well to sudden changes in direction.

  Tam made a clicking sound with his tongue, motioning for me to follow him, and I reluctantly pulled my eyes away from the scene. I could have easily forgotten all else, watching those Vangars and their strange machines. Thankfully, Tam was there to remind me that we had an objective.

  He led the way to the northeastern corner of the city, where we slipped past a few Vangar footmen patrolling the perimeter, and then crossed the river by way of an unpatrolled footbridge (there were many of these in the area once known as Riverwood, which had now been cut down, leaving little more than swampland north of the city). The Vangars seemed confident that their patrols could catch anyone trying to get out of the city. They probably didn’t expect anyone foolish enough to be sneaking in. That made our entrance easy enough, especially since we could see them coming and going quite clearly without the benefit of torchlight.

  I was surprised as we entered the outskirts of Anora and found citizens wandering the streets with complete freedom. I saw Vangar warriors standing guard on the street corners and on the roofs of many of the buildings, but they made little effort to suppress the free movement of the citizens inside. It was then that I finally understood what they had done.

  “It’s a prison camp,” I whispered. “The entire city is a prison camp.”

  We were standing in the shadows at the end of a dark alley, staring up and down the city streets. Tam nodded, his expression grim. “Indeed. Not just for humans, either. I can see at least twenty Tal’mar on this street alone.”

  We stood back watching for a few moments, until a young Tal’mar woman passed close enough that we could get her attention without alerting the Vangars. She had blonde hair, a rarity among the Tal’mar, and she appeared to be about my age.

  “That is Llana,” Tam whispered. “We schooled together as children.” He made a psst sound to get her attention, and beckoned her over. She stood there a moment, glancing cautiously up and down the street to see if she’d been noticed. Then she leapt into the alley.

  “Tam!” she cried out, throwing her arms around him. “I was sure you’d been killed.”

  “I escaped,” he said. “A few of us managed to get the queen to safety in the Borderlands.

  “Praise the Elders! We were sure that she’d been killed. I must tell the others!”

  “Wait!” Tam said. “Tell me, how did you get here? Did they bring you in one of the dragon ships?”

  “Yes. They brought the first of us by air, but wheeled dragon ships have begun to arrive with more captives. They’re herding us all into this city like sheep.”

  “Why?” Tam said. “What is their goal?”

  “We don’t know yet. They’ve chosen a handful of people to be translators, but it takes more than a day to learn a language.”

  I took a deep breath, considering that. “That’s good news,” I said. “If they planned on killing everyone they wouldn’t bother teaching us their language.”

  “I believe you’re right,” Llana said. “I have been somewhat surprised by these barbarians myself.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “When they first invaded, they were like bloodthirsty animals. It seemed certain that they would kill each and every one of us, to the last drop of blood. But once we had submitted, they began to treat us differently. As if they knew we were no longer a threat to them. I believe it has been their experience that a battle won is proof of dominance.”

  “So they don’t expect anyone to fight?” I said.

  “I don’t think so. Unfortunately, they may be right. Look around you. Most of these people have already accepted their new station.”

  “These are simple farmers,” Tam said. “We will not all lie down so easily.”

  “Perhaps,” said Llana. “Still, do not expect many of these people to rush quickly to your aid.”

  I looked up and down the streets, realizing how right she was. The once free people of Astatia seemed to have no fight left in them whatsoever. I couldn’t quite understand it. “Why don’t they fight?” I said. “There are so many people here. They could overwhelm the Vangars.”

  “Perhaps, if they had weapons and a handful of courage, but they have neither. The Vangars were quick to disarm the populace. They stripped us down to simple garments. Many don’t even have shoes.”

  My eyes widened as I glanced at their feet and realized it was true. The only people who seemed to be wearing shoes or boots were the elderly, who posed no threat of escaping or uprising. And suddenly it all came into focus.

  “They’re smart,” I said. “These Vangar barbarians know exactly how to dominate and control.”

  “Indeed. Did you think any less when you saw their airships, or the wildness in their eyes? They may be barbarians but they’re not stupid. And they’re very good at what they do.”

  “They must have a weakness,” Tam said.

  Llana cocked an eyebrow. “When you find it, let me know.”

  “I have to find Tinker,” I said. “Llana, do you remember seeing the old man who used to fly to Tal’mar with me?”

  “Teamahka-na!” she said with a bright smile. “The toy-maker!”

  “Yes,” I said, grinning. For many years, Tinker had made a tradition of bringing his tiny spring-powered toys to the children of Tal’mar. This eventually became a custom during the winter solstice, a time when people had always gathered for feasts to celebrate the turning of the sky, and to uplift their low spirits. The solstice is a dark time of year, of bitterly cold weather and long, dark nights. It is a season when moods turn sour and many individuals suffer from the age-old malady of cabin fever. Over the years, Tinker’s gifts of toys and trinkets during the solstice somehow turned the darkest time of year into Astatia’s most eagerly awaited holiday.

  “He has taken residence in the Old Pony Inn, near the town square. The toy-maker is one of the chosen interpreters.”

  I twisted my face up. “Interpreter?” I said. “Tinker? Is that a joke?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know why they chose him. Perhaps they thought him intelligent.”

  “Well, he is that,” I said with a grin. “But he’s no linguist. Tinker can barely speak the common tongue. It took him a year to remember how to say ‘Thank you very much’ in Tal’mar.”

  “We should go,” Llana said, glancing up the street. “The Vangars don’t look like they’re paying much attention, but they might surprise you. Patrols come by every few minutes. Come, we must share this news about the queen with the others!”

  “You two go on without me,” I said. “I’ll find Tinker.”

  Tam stared at me. “
Are you sure?”

  “I’ll be fine. I know the way to the inn.”

  “Be careful,” Llana warned. “The Vangars have installed a curfew. The streets will be emptied in less than two hours. After that, you’ll be stuck here.”

  “We’ll be gone before them,” I assured her. “Tam, meet me back here in an hour. If you’re not here, I’ll leave without you.”

  “Agreed. If one of us should be caught, the other should not be left waiting.”

  “Exactly. We’ll have to stash our weapons here, too. We can retrieve them later.”

  Llana slipped out of the alley to blend in with the crowd. Tam removed his bow and quiver and tucked them into the corner. “One hour,” he said again before he stepped into the street. I nodded. I placed my cutlass next to his bow and then waited a few minutes, so as not to attract attention. Then I left the alley, slipping into the crowd as inconspicuously as possible, and making my way towards the Old Pony.

  The Vangars took no notice of me. The citizens who recognized me only gave me a cautious smile or a passing nod. They knew better than to draw the Vangars’ attention.

  Chapter 12

  I found Tinker in a room overlooking the street on the third floor of the Old Pony. The door was open, and he was sitting quietly with a half dozen others, gathered around a table. They had no candles or lanterns. They spoke quietly in the soft light that drifted in through the window from the street. When I appeared in the doorway, Tinker glanced at me and then did a double-take.

  “Breeze!” he called out, jumping up.

  I rushed across the room and threw my arms around him. Words can’t describe how relieved I was to find him alive and well. He pulled away to look down at me, and I craned my neck up at him.

  “I was worried about you,” I said. “You’re lucky you didn’t get killed.”

  He smiled. “They had no reason to harm me,” he said, gently stroking my hair. “I’m just a harmless old man.”

  I laughed at that, and I heard subdued laughter coming from the others in the room. No one who actually knew Tinker would consider him harmless by any stretch. The man had not only invented the powder charges commonly used in rifles and cannons, but had also invented the airplane, and the spring engines we used to power them.

  Tinker’s mind was simply different than everyone else. To him, a rock was not a rock and a tree was not just a tree. They were materials. They were components; things that could be turned into something else, if one could discern the right method and design.

  I pulled away from him and glanced around the room, taking stock of the situation. Among the others, I recognized the mayors of Anora and Riverfork, as well as the sheriff of Riverfork. I was surprised to see the latter two in the same room. The last time I’d seen them, the sheriff had made threats about the upcoming election and the mayor had gone off in a huff.

  “We are friends here,” Tinker said, reading my thoughts. “Tell me, have you come from the mountains?”

  “Yes.”

  “And Analyn? She made it there safely?”

  I nodded. “Her and at least a hundred others.”

  “Thank heavens,” one of the women said. “She’s the last in line for the throne, you know.” They all nodded and murmured in agreement.

  I nodded uncomfortably. I wondered if the woman knew that Analyn had no desire for the throne. It was telling however, that they still considered her a valid ruler. That meant none of them had accepted the Vangars. That at least was a good sign.

  “Breeze, there is one thing,” Tinker said. “Your friend Robie-”

  “He’s back at the camp,” I explained. “He would have come, but I asked him to stay.”

  “I see. How can I explain this? We evacuated Riverfork ahead of the Vangar airships, but they caught up to us outside Anora. They fired on us mercilessly as our caravans streamed into the city. Robie’s parents were riding on a wagon that was struck by cannon fire. They were both killed instantly.”

  My heart sank as I heard this, and I wondered how I would ever find the strength to tell Robie. I sighed. “I have more bad news,” I said. “The Vangars caught up to us at General Corsan’s farm. We escaped, but they killed the general.”

  Tinker’s face fell even more, if it were possible. “Cruel tidings,” he muttered. He took a deep breath and glanced around the room, then his eyes returned to me. “We must be steadfast, or the same fate will befall the rest of us. Resolve your mourning into ferocity. That is what we will need to defeat our enemies.”

  The others in the room nodded emphatically, a few quietly speaking the words, “Hear, hear!”

  “I don’t have much time,” I said. “I have to get out of Anora before curfew. I don’t know what to do. My plane was destroyed when I crashed. The refugees have very few weapons and almost no supplies. What are we going to do, Tinker?”

  He gave me a sympathetic look. “For now, nothing. It will be a few weeks before we clearly understand the Vangars’ intentions. Until then we must watch them. We must learn their ways, their secrets. We must test their strengths until we find their weaknesses.”

  “I don’t understand,” I said. “Aren’t we going to fight them?”

  “Such action would be foolish right now,” he said. “It will take time to organize a resistance. Attacking them now would leave us exposed and cost us dearly.”

  I frowned. I had been certain that Tinker would have a plan. I looked at him and then at the others. “So you’re not going to do anything?” I said. “You don’t have a plan at all?”

  Tinker put his hand on my shoulder. “Calmly, Breeze. We do have a plan, and right now, that plan is to be cautious and wise. If we act rashly now, we will ruin our chances later.”

  “But they will only get stronger,” I argued. “They’ve captured thousands of people… tens of thousands. They’re rounding everyone up like cattle. And the people are acting like cattle, Tinker. They really are.”

  “And what would you have them do?” he said, raising an eyebrow. “Would you have farmers with no boots and only pitchforks as weapons try to fight off these invaders? Come, look at this.” He guided me over to the window. “Look out at the street and tell me what you see.”

  “People,” I said. “Humans, Tal’mar. Walking around.”

  “Correct.”

  “It’s terrible,” I said.

  Tinker shook his head. “They are alive. They are healthy. And most importantly, they’re not a threat.”

  I sighed. “Clearly not. The Vangars aren’t even worried about them. They know they have us beaten.”

  “Do they?” he said cleverly. “Is that what the Vangars know, or is it what they think they know?

  “Are you saying they’re wrong?” I said. “Because it looks to me like those people are ready to lick the boots of the first Vangar that crosses their path.”

  “Looks can be deceiving,” Tinker said. “Right now, it’s important for us to look like that. We must appear weak, beaten. The less of a threat we represent, the less prepared the Vangars will be when we rise up and crush them.”

  His voice rose at the end and I saw a fire in his eyes that I hadn’t seen there in a long time. I smiled. “So you do have a plan,” I said.

  “All in good time.”

  “Fine. Then what should I do?”

  “Go back into the mountains. Tell Analyn and the others what you saw here, and the things that were spoken. Tell them to be patient and clever. Tell them to gather tools, to build weapons, to make black powder charges and rifles and whatever else they can manage.”

  I frowned. “Tinker, you must come with me! You can’t stay here.”

  “I must. Against all probability, the Vangars have entrusted me with a position of influence. They’ve made me an interpreter.”

  “I heard,” I said cynically.

  Tinker laughed. “Who knows what they were thinking? I may not be the best man for this role, but I’ll do what I must. In the meantime, I will use their misplaced trust agai
nst them. Keep that in mind, Breeze. Take those words to heart. Whatever an enemy gives to you, you must bide your time until you can use it against him.”

  We turned away from talk of fighting and insurrection at that point. Tinker and the others wanted to know more about Analyn and the rest of the refugees. I told them what I could. Then, reluctantly, I gave Tinker a parting hug. I had to get out of the city before curfew or risk being trapped there.

  “When will you know more?” I said before leaving. “When should I come back?”

  “On the new moon,” he said. “You will easily get back into the city then, and I should have much more information.”

  The new moon was two weeks away. I hardly dared think about what might happen between now and then. I sighed. “All right. Two weeks, then.” I turned away but Tinker caught me by the arm. He lifted a journal off the table and shoved it into my hands.

  “What’s this?” I said.

  “It’s what we’ve learned of their language. It’s not a lot, but I will have more for you next time you return. Study that, and memorize it. We won’t beat these invaders until we can understand them.”

  I nodded, tucking the journal snuggly under my belt. “Two weeks,” I said. Then I left and tried not to look back for fear I might break into tears. Once again, I was leaving Tinker in the heart of danger. I shouldn’t have been surprised that the wily old inventor had managed to survive unharmed, but I wondered how many more times he could get away with it. I wondered how many times it would take before my heart broke.

  I found Tam back in the alley, waiting for me. His mood had darkened considerably. We didn’t speak until we were outside the city and back across the river. Then he finally told me what had happened.